Media Release: Concerns over Brook Trout in the West Credit River

By Linda Heron on Thursday, October 29th, 2020

Brook trout spawning in a coldwater stream. Film by Steve Noakes

Articles:
Groups concerned about Erin’s proposed plant effect on coldwater fish, by Keegan Kozolanka
Ontario Rivers Alliance says town has ‘dismissed’ plans to protect Credit River brook trout from Erin wastewater plant, by Alexandra Heck

The Town of Erin (Erin) is in the design phase of a new sewage treatment plant, and the Ontario Rivers Alliance (ORA) is concerned that the sewage plant effluent will endanger some of the most productive and highly valued brook trout populations in the West Credit River. Continue reading →

Updates: Howson Dam, North Maitland River

By Linda Heron on Thursday, July 9th, 2020

Posted in Dam Removal, Dam Removals, Dams, Howson Dam, North Maitland River, Removal, Repair/Replacement, River Concerns

The motion, presented on Monday night, suggested by the committee calls for North Huron Council to approve an engineering study to determine the future of the dam and set out a schedule for fundraising for the rehabilitation of the structure. If that schedule cannot be met, however, the recommendation calls for the removal of the structure.

Articles:
Howson Dam and Pond Citizens Community chairperson reacts to budget talks, 3 February
Howson Dam – Out to Tender – bids due 20 October 2022
Howson Dam spillway to be tested, 23 Nov 2020
North Huron Council approves engineering study on Howson Dam, 9 July 2020
‘It’s going to be black or white’: North Huron council approves funding Howson Dam committee to speak to engineers, experts, 9 July 2020
Decision on Wingham’s Howson Dam Expected Next Month, 19 June 2018

Update: Gorrie Dam on the North Maitland River to be Decommissioned

By Linda Heron on Monday, July 6th, 2020

Posted in Dam Removal, Dam Removals, Gorrie Dam, North Maitland River

UPDATE: Gorrie Dam Demolition Underway, Toronto Star, 23 July 2021

The Gorrie Dam failed as the result of an extreme rain and flood event in June of 2017. The dam had failed before, so the ORA advocated for its decommissioning, rather than its repair.

Part of the earthen berm to the south of the dam failed in June 2017. In June 2019, after reviewing a study of alternatives for the dam, the Conservation Authority membership decided to begin the process of decommissioning the structure which is located at Gorrie Conservation Area.

It is crucial that we take action on infrastructure that would put citizens at risk, degrade water quality, threaten our fisheries, or that jeopardize the ecosystem services that healthy rivers provide.

The Maitland Valley Conservation Authority has decided to decommission the dam and will move ahead with decommissioning in 2021.

Maitland Conservation Moves Ahead With Next Steps at Gorrie Conservation Area, 6 July 2020, by Maitland CA.

Advocating for Decommissioning of the Howson Dam, North Maitland River

By Linda Heron on Thursday, October 10th, 2019

Posted in Aquatic Life, Dam Removal, Dam Removals, Howson Dam, North Maitland River, ORA Submissions, River Concerns

Howson Dam at capacity in the 24 June 2017 storm event.

ORA has seen few dams that attract tourists to a town, but large healthy rivers and fisheries appear to be more attractive, especially to anglers and canoeists, that can bring additional tourist dollars into the community.

Continue reading →

MECP Minister’s Decision on Part II Order Request – Riverside Dam

By Linda Heron on Friday, May 31st, 2019

Posted in Dam Removal, Dam Removals, Dams, Impacts, ORA Submissions, Removal, Riverside Dam, Speed River

Updates:

21 May 2020: Here’s which projects are staying, going or delayed in Cambridge
3 March 2020: ‘I don’t see this being a $20-million project, but it’s not going to be a million-dollar project’

On September 28, 2018, you requested, on behalf of the Ontario Rivers Alliance and other partners, that the City be required to prepare an individual environmental assessment for the replacement of Riverside Dam. I am taking this opportunity to inform you that I have decided that elevating the project to an individual environmental assessment is not required.

Continue reading →

Riverside Dam Class EA – Update to Preliminary Preferred Alternative – Joint Submission

By Linda Heron on Wednesday, May 16th, 2018

Posted in Dam Removal, Dam Removals, Dams, Joint, ORA Submissions, Removal, Repair/Replacement, River Concerns, Riverside Dam, Speed River

ORA understands the pressure municipalities are under when communities rally to maintain or rebuild their beloved mill ponds. However, it is up to all authorities and municipalities to take a leadership role that places public safety and landscape scale ecological integrity above local individual or group interests.

Continue reading →

Decommission Howson Dam on the North Maitland River

By Linda Heron on Tuesday, April 24th, 2018

Posted in Dam Removal, Dam Removals, Dams, Howson Dam, Impacts, North Maitland River, ORA Submissions, Removal, River Concerns

Looking downstream at Howson Dam on the North Maitland River.

On 23 – 24 June of 2017, the upstream Gorrie Dam failed and the Howson Dam was at capacity during an extreme rain event and flood when 175 mm of rain fell in just 7 hours, placing more than 150 property owners at risk and resulting in an estimated $11-million in damages in the Town of Harriston. This severe rain event broke previous records by approximately 40% and was the second highest flow on the North Maitland in the 48 years of record. Fortunately, no one was killed; however, it could have been much worse, as in October of 2015, when a South Carolina flood breached 18 dams, and resulted in 16 deaths.

Continue reading →

Riverside Dam Class Environmental Assessment – Speed River

By Linda Heron on Wednesday, April 18th, 2018

Posted in Dam Removal, Dam Removals, Dams, Environmental Reports, ORA Submissions, Removal, Rivers at Risk, Riverside Dam, Speed River, Water Quality

Drought conditions could place additional stress on riverine ecosystems, while more extreme rainfall will heighten the risk of dam failures (18 dams were breached in a South Carolina flood in October of 2015) with rapid release of high volumes of water. There have also been recent dam failures right here in Ontario – the Gorrie Dam failure last year in Wingham was the most recent, putting more than 150 property owners at risk.

Continue reading →

Decommission Springbank Dam, Thames River – One River Stage 1 Master Plan EA Report – Joint Letter

By Linda Heron on Sunday, January 14th, 2018

Posted in Dam Removal, Dam Removals, Joint, ORA Submissions, Springbank Dam, Thames River

Springbank Dam, Thames River, London, ON

The City of London’s Civic Works Committee has made a decision on the recommended preferred option of a “Free Flowing River”. As the London Free Press said, “After a unanimous vote to recommend decommissioning the dam at Tuesday’s civic works committee, when and how to do it could be the next chapter in the city’s Springbank dam saga. There’s still a rubber-stamping needed from city council next week, but the writing clearly is on the wall”.

The Thames River Anglers Association and the Ontario Rivers Alliance have continued to lobby through many channels to achieve this preferred outcome. In January of 2016 we rallied the support of over 20 organizations representing more than 200,000 members to encourage the City of London to fully decommission Springbank Dam and protect the recovering riverine ecosystem. Again, on January 9th of this year we submitted a joint letter of support to the Civic Works Committee from 16 organizations, businesses and stakeholder individuals – see below: Continue reading →

EBR-013-1476 – Draft Government Response Statement for the Recovery of the American Eel

By Linda Heron on Sunday, December 17th, 2017

Posted in American Eel, Dam Impacts, Dam Removal, Dams, Endangered Species, Endangered Species Act, Energy, Environmental Registry, Fish/Eel Mitigation & Recovery, Government, Hydroelectric, Joint, ORA Submissions, Recovery Strategies, Regulatory Submissions, Species at Risk, Studies & Reports

The American Eel Needs Your Help! You have an opportunity to support the recovery of a species that has declined by 99% of its original population, has been completely extirpated from extensive areas of its native Ontario range, and is in steep decline where it still exists. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has prepared a Draft Government Response Station for the Recovery of the American Eel in Ontario, and you have until January 11th to sign the Petition below. More information can be found here. To add your own comments just click on the letter and type. Thank you for your help! Continue reading →